A year on Venus

34: you dont need reasons to like things

It was Camilla. She almost startled me!

I must have busied myself with looking at this magnificent soul that was so embedded in her reading.

Finally, I turned to Camila and dashed her a smile. "Good morning." I whispred before turning around to have a better view of Jasmine.

Only if what I hold in my heart will turn out real. Only if wishes were horses. I did think of her last night. My evening yesterday was about Jasmine.

"She doesn't even care about you. All she cares about are books. I had no idea Africans love book like that." The voice came from Camilla yet again. I wonder how she found out!

I turned around and looked at her as she clutched the book she was holding on hand. I took my time to read it, it read; catching fire. It was catching fire!

I had to fought the mountains and all the shaitan children around me whispering things to my brain. Had to fight the urge to roll my eyes and asked if she was at all serious, we are having a test and she was complaining about not knowing a thing regarding the test, but here she was reading; catching fire, as the novel goes by name.

Course she'd been reading catching fire since the last five years I knew her. She had memorized every single word in there.

Was a time she borrowed it to me, I wasn't feeling like it and she forced me to, by the time I started reading it, I went out to have some fresh air. Thereafter I found myself at the middle page, I was reading the book, when outta no where I heard, "the jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds, creating a whole new species that could replicate both bird whistles and human melodies...page 195."

I had to recite some dua's. I thought it was some jinns around. Then I looked up and my mouth had to slacken a bit at the view in front of me. It was Camilla standing, with her hands akimbo.

"How did you know?" I asked her, because that was the exact page I was reading, and the paragraph she read out was the last paragraph in the page.

She just shrugged, "I've been reading this since forever, to extent if I see the heap of it I can quickly speculate the page number. And most of the time I usually get it right." I could only nod, but honestly I was surprised. To me reading a book and being obsessed with it that way is madness in my opinion.

So now that we are having a test and she was still reading this book that she had already memorised every crook and corner of it instead of reading for the test really got me surprised. I actually decided to show up here for Camilla, to help her out, outta pity. But Camilla 'reading catching fire?' That too, early morning? That wasn't something I was looking forward to seeing at least. Now i'm sure of what made her missed the first lecture.

I composed myself before saying it out in a whisper, "I thought you've read that. And alredy caught the fire?"

She opened the book and began reading it again before saying, "oh yeah!" She didn't even bother looking up from the book. When I saw that, I turned around to Jasmine and glanced at her once more. Jasmine was now smiling as she flipped through the number of pages from the textbook she was reading from. I think I have never seen someone being passionate about what will benefit them in life more than Jasmine. She really knows what she's doing with life.

I saw Jasmine looked up and I quickly turned away my gauze from her and locking it on Camilla.

"Common let's find a seat so you read." I finally said.

She nodded with her head still buried in her novel.

"Let me have that." I said collecting the book, I had to drag it before she finally gave in. She sighed before we made way to find a seat in the library.

"You know i've never liked that girl." Camilla said, once we were seated on a seat further away from Jasmine.

"Which girl?" I asked, just to be sure.

"That Jess." She said.

"Who's jess?"

"Jasmine I mean." She finished.

I squeezed my forehead a bit. I didn't like a bit of what Camilla just said.

"Why though?" I asked.

"She reads way too much for my liking."

Oh! So that's her reason?!!!

"Oh really?" I asked again. She didn't reply but rolled eyes.

"Well, I think reading is alright. As far one will read about important things. Like reading to benefit, not reading to waste time and enjoy."

"Wow feeling attacked." She whispered and I smirked at her.

Just then the library attendant stood near our seat and looking towards us. I took it as an indication to remain silent.

But Camilla continued, "...I really don't like her." She said glancing over at the library's attendant.

I waited till he moved away before whispering, "Well, you don't need to be everyone's favorite. Being liked by others means getting hate from others, so."

I shrugged and handed her a jotter, flipping to certain pages. "Read it all and then talk me up. I'll go check for some relevant text books." I said and moved away from her. She nodded. I took few steps when I remembered something. I made few steps back, "I'll take this." I announced, reaching for catching fire i dropped on table. I was sure if I leave it she'll definitely continue reading it and won't read the jotter. I smirked at her as I took the book and walked off throwing it to the air, it almost hit my nose.

By the time I had finished explaining things to Camilla she said she was hungry, that's when I remembered I didn't have breakfast. So we made our way to the cafeteria. As usual Camilla went to place in order for us.

That's when I viewed her. She seemed to be in all the places we would some how appear at.

I walked towards her, I looked at what she was eating, for the first time in my life I didn't feel like throwing it away. It was an oatmeal.

"Is it that delicious?" I found myself asking.

"You want some?" She asked back.

I had to mentally roll my eyes at that. "Why do you eat that?"

She shrugged before saying, "It's my favorite. You don't need reasons to like some things if you truly like them."